Really fun to read one of Daria's backlist titles, absolutely love the packaging for this book. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to more books from this author.

Gina is a dancer on a celebrity dance competition show and she is looking to finally win and the opportunities that come with that. When she is a paired with a survivalist reality star, she decides to really dig in and make it work. While is a steadfast against breaking her romance-for- TV that her producer is pushing toward her, but when sparks start to fly, keeping that promise to herself and her career harder by the day.

This ended up being surprisingly good. I was a little annoyed about the whole premise at the beginning, but then I got totally hooked and had to know what was going on! I ended up really liking the the dance partners premise, the writing, and the spice! I think the author did a good job highlighting challenges that Latinx women face in media. It would have been nice to get a little deeper with Stone and his backstory. I think the dance competition drama was a great backdrop for a developing relationship and would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the gifted e-copy!

This was a wonderful read, I'm always a fan of books that give you behind the scenes things we don't usually see in real life e.g. life if a music group, reality shows, tv competition shows. All of the characters were so fun to read about and I loved the relationship between Stone and Gina. I loved getting to learn more about the characters as other characters were learning these new things at the same time. The romance was well done, I like how it played out and the outcome of the relationship in the end. The whole book was well written and well thought out.

Omg, this book was amazing, just perfect.
Once I started, I couldn't put it down, it was so interesting and compelling how the author described the dancing contest. And the characters were sooo good!
I loved Stone's journey from being the quiet, lonely boy to Gina's ideal dance and life partner.
Ughhh I can't praise this book enough, I absolutely loved it.

Gina was a great MC! She's kind, affectionate, funny and logical. I just wish I'd seen a more vulnerable side to her, because although she goes through a lot, honestly can't say that I know her even after finishing the whole book. Maybe that’s because she’s always with someone or the other was and never shown spending time just by herself?

Stone was a really sweet love interest! I always end up loving Alexis Daria’s love interest cause they’re always super likable and Stone was no different! We also see him open up a bit more, and his inner turmoil is one that's easy to empathise with.

My problem was that both the characters were okay on their own but I felt like they barely had any chemistry? Their romance kind of felt mechanical and very on surface so I didn’t connect to them as much.

I love Alexis Daria so I really wanted to love this book too and it’s definitely not a bad book but I think it wasn’t for me.
Though I’m pretty sure people who’re looking for short, quick romance will love it.

This is a cute, adorable romance. Now, it is a bit long but I enjoyed it. The main characters are fabulous on the pages and I just love their interactions. Need a good romance for the beach…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I looooooved the “Dancing with the stars” vibe and really enjoyed Stone and Gina’s romance. You could feel the sexual tension/chemistry between the two of them from the beginning. My only gripe is that the third act break up was a bit annoying and drawn out.

**thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

Take the Lead is a perfect romance novel for fans of Dancing with the Stars and reality TV in general. Its a very enjoyable book with likable characters, fun dancing and plenty of chemistry and heat between everyone. I would take a reality show with these two any day and I would totally watch a weird Alaska series if Stone was the lead. Highly recommend and look forward to reading more.

I enjoyed reading Take the Lead by Alexis Daria. The characters are wonderful! Enjoy!
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

Quick Summary: A fire and ice romance

My Review: Take the Lead by Alexis Daria was a scorching hot romance. It's book one in the new Dance Off series.

About Stone Nielson: Living in the wilds of Alaska is a way of life for Stone and his family. Unfortunately, it's become a slow death for him. He's sacrificed his own happiness out of a sense of obligation to his family. When he suddenly finds himself on a dance show competition, partnered with a sexy firestarter, he begins to realize that wanting more doesn't have to come at a loss.

About Gina Morales: Gina wanted more for her life and her career. She had given her all and she would succeed based on her talent, her drive, and her intellect...all without compromising her integrity. When she'd agreed to partner with an Alaskan hunk for a dance show competition, she had no idea that he would melt her heart with his sweet words and actions. Is she fooling herself into thinking that she can have it all?

About the Story: When Stone and Gina come together for Dance Off, they are immediately attracted to each other. Although both try a hands off approach to their relationship, it is soon clear that their explosive chemistry is a powder keg that will detonate if given the chance to do so. What will the Alaskan survivalist and the Latina dancer do with all that heat?

My Final Say: 💣💣💣💥 Need I say more?

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: R

Thank you to the author, to St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin, and to NetGalley who provided access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are voluntarily offered.

This was SO good!! It was my first Alexis Daria book, and it certainly won't be my last! I used to be obsessed with "Dancing With the Stars," so I loved this so much. The chemistry between Stone and Gina was crazy, the plot moved quickly, and the story was really good! Overall, I would definitely recommend this book :)

I had tons of fun reading this spicy rom com! It was cool getting a look at what it could be like behind the scenes of a dance show competition. I love the chemistry between our main characters. Stone has to easily be one of my favorite male romance leads. And I loved how passionate about her work and goals Alexis was. I have nothing but good things to say about this book.

I was excited to read this one because I've loved other Alexis Daria books, and it was really entertaining and fun and a read you can binge in one sitting! Since I've loved her other books, this one just didn't meet the expectations I had for it, but I still felt like it was a really great book! Gina is an ambitious and strong woman, and Stone brought some good chemistry.

I wouldn't call this Alexis Daria's best book, (granted it is only her first) but you should still read it for yourself!

read if you like:
💃🏻reality dance shows
💃🏻enemies to lovers
💃🏻hot outdoorsman vibes
💃🏻character driven

I really love her books and this one was no exception. They are just so fun. They keep you turning pages and leaves you smiling.

Alexis Daria's debut novel did not disappoint!

Puerto Rican professional dancer + Mountain man reality star + dance competition = what more can i say other than read this book!

Gina and stone were perfect for each other, and I love that we got equal of both throughout this story!

Wow! This book is SO GOOD! Whenever I picked up "Take the Lead", I found myself whisked away, and could not put this book down!

Firstly, this cover is INCREDIBLE! Also, as a dancer myself, as soon as I heard about this book, I just knew I needed to read it!

Alexis Daria is a wonderful author! Her writing style is vivid and her storytelling simply jumps off of the page. The chemistry between Gina and Stone is so palpable as well!

Gina, a professional dancer who is on a reality TV show, gets paired with Stone, a man who has starred on a survivalist TV show. I do not want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but, I will say, this book has so much in it! The passion on and off the dance floor, secrets, twists and turns, and so much more.

If you enjoy Romance Books, I highly recommend this novel! I so look forward to reading what Ms. Daria writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin) for the ARC of this book! All opinions
expressed in this review are my own.

I've loved Alexis Daria in the past and TAKE THE LEAD had a lot of the great things this author brings. Gina is a strong, focused, ambitious lead who works her ass off and is also vulnerable in certain situations. And Stone is the muscled outdoorsman hero I needed in my life. A sex god who also loves his family? Yes please.

Stone and Gina had insane chemistry and I loved this opposites attract pairing. Prepare yourself for seriously steamy sex scenes between these two! I was here for every page of it.

This book did move pretty slowly in the middle. It is set on a TV Dance Competition and it was pretty heavy on the show storylines and I was wishing there was more story outside if that world. I also wish the antagonist had a few more layers. The "bad guy" in TAKE THE LEAD was a fleetingly present, all bad, horrible person that everyone hated. I just wish there had been more to that character.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated NC-17 / 5+ sex scenes, harsh language. *MIGHT* include props/bondage.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: past parent abandonment
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 2/5 - A bit of drama, but still a pretty light read.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Take the Lead stars Gina Morales, a dancer who wants to make it big. She’s been on The Dance Off for four years but has yet to win a season or even make it to the finals. Enter her rugged co-star/dance partner for the season, Stone Nielson. Stone is best known as a minor celebrity on an Alaskan wilderness reality show. Stone will do anything for his family, which includes their reality show and now this dance competition. Gina will do anything to win in an honest way. That does not include a showmance and she’s not going to let her attraction to Stone distract her.

This book reminded me of Dancing With The Stars in the best way! It was fun, sexy, and well-paced. I knew to expect these things as I’ve read Alexis Daria books before. It was cute and spicy, which I loved. It was a really fun read!

Is Stone Gina’s ticket to win it all? Is Gina Stone’s ticket off the reality show and back into the life he wants to live? You’ll have to read it to find out!

Take the Lead gives a sultry glance inside dance competitions and the toll they take physically and personally. Daira is an expert in infusing romance into every day interactions. I love the infusion of Latin culture and familial expectations. While the romance is a slow burn, the plot could have used a little more depth in regards to the families of both the main characters. This would have added depth to Stone and Gina

Did di my best with this book, but it just was not engaging at all. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and it felt like it was just a romance written for a class on writing romance rather than for an audience.